Here are 10 takeaways from the Toronto Raptors‘ 110-109 win over the Orlando Magic.
1. It didn’t need to be so exciting, but who can complain? The Raptors looked lethargic for the first three quarters Friday before finally getting serious in the fourth, rattling off an 11-for-12 stretch to take a 12-point lead with two minutes left, and that’s where the game should have ended. But the Magic were plucky all night, and they battled right to the bitter end by catching the Raptors with one last sucker punch, which had the home team wobbling on the brink of a frustrating loss. But it was Gary Trent Jr. bailing the team out with a quick jab to knock the ball into the backcourt, ending Orlando’s comeback bid. It was hardly a sharp effort by the Raptors, but the result is nonetheless a satisfying one.
2. Fred VanVleet had another gear that the Magic couldn’t match. It was jarring to see VanVleet struggle through the first three quarters, where he was passing up drives and settling for jumpers, shooting abysmally with three points on 1-for-9 shooting, and also being burnt on the defensive end by Cole Anthony. He simply wasn’t himself until the fourth quarter, where VanVleet’s flair for the dramatic reemerged. He scored 16 of the Raptors’ 33 points in the fourth, while also setting up another 10 points through his four assists. He nailed a pair of mid-range jumpers, got inside for an and-one layup, threw a full-length inbound pass to catch the Magic napping on a dunk, and put the Raptors up 12 with a pull-up three. It was a masterful performance from VanVleet, even on a night where he didn’t fully have it. But of course, it should surprise no one to see VanVleet emerge in the clutch following a difficult period after his role in the 2019 title run.
3. Conversely, it was a disappointing game all around from OG Anunoby. Offensive inconsistencies are understandable given the jump in difficulty from being a role player to becoming featured, but for once it was Anunoby’s defence that was lacking. Anunoby was all over the place in the fourth quarter, committing four fouls that were increasingly costly. The first infraction was a push in the back against Mo Bamba, who should have been boxed out. Then, it was a lazy reach-in foul trying to gamble for a steal on a clean hand-off. The third one sent Anthony to the foul line even though VanVleet had him pinned in the corner off an inbound, but Anunoby let him off the hook by swiping in again. And finally, the fourth was egregious because Anunoby was so late on the rotation out to Jalen Suggs that he crashed into him trying to make up the gap. Chalk this one up to a combination of it being a frustrating night on offence, and to fatigue with Anunoby logging 41 minutes on the night.
4. It was the two rookies who kept the Raptors in the game. Scottie Barnes and Dalano Banton were both on the floor to close it out which speaks to them being ahead of schedule, and both players made timely contributions. If anything, the mistakes at the end which allowed the Magic to come back did not come from the younger players, but rather from the veterans who should know better. The takeaway here is that not only did the Raptors scoop up two gems in this year’s class, but also that they can be trusted even during important moments. Hopefully, the veterans receive that message and allow themselves to share the load. Banton and Barnes aren’t regular rookies who need handholding — they’re ready to contribute to winning night in and night out.
5. It’s only been six games but defences are already coming up with specific adjustments against Barnes. The Magic tried to neutralize Barnes by assigning the seven-foot-three Bamba to take away the basket, which is a sound strategy on paper. However, Barnes is already skilled enough to counter that scheme because of the rapid advancements in his perimeter game. Barnes nailed seven jumpers while Bamba sat back instead of trying to insist his way to the rim against an imposing shot-blocker, which translated to a team-high 21 points on an efficient 9-for-14 shooting. There is no track record of Barnes being this effective on a shooter in college, but he clearly looks comfortable in the mid-range. To see this much growth from Barnes in such a short amount of time is hugely encouraging.
6. Barnes also made a play that only one other NBA player is capable of. In the second quarter, Barnes ripped down one of his nine rebounds, used only three dribbles to change ends of the floor, before taking off one step inside the foul line for a poster dunk. The only other player physically capable of replicating that play is Giannis Antetokounmpo. Barnes isn’t as quick-twitch explosive in the way that Antetokounmpo is, but if you compare the 20-year-old version of the Greek Freak to Barnes, it’s not all that dissimilar. Antetokounmpo’s body transformation is almost unprecedented so it’s hard to expect the same from Barnes, but it’s not entirely out of the question either.
7. Banton is freakish in his own right as he makes plays that other point guards could not. One example was early in his first shift, where a pass met Banton late in the shot clock. Instead of chucking up a prayer just to beat the clock, Banton worked a quick pick-and-roll with Khem Birch, got downhill, then flipped a short hook pass over the top to Birch, who got a layup right before the buzzer. Even though Birch missed the shot, Banton was there for the putback. On another play, Banton ripped down a rebound and took it the length of the floor for another layup that missed, but this time it was Chris Boucher who was there for the second chance. When Banton comes in, the Raptors are faster up the floor and get more shots at the rim. This is why coach Nick Nurse has elevated him above a first-rounder in Malachi Flynn, and over a veteran like Goran Dragic. There’s no mystery as to why those two sit — Banton is better.
Raptors Newsletter
8. Nurse went to a smallball look to close the game, except it really wasn’t all that small. Banton came in for Birch, which is technically a point guard for a centre, but it was really just a trade of quickness for strength between two six-foot-nine athletes. The Raptors even won two crucial jump balls against Bamba with Barnes out-jumping him, then Banton getting up high enough where Bamba ended up tapping it out. There really is no such thing as going “big” or “small” on a team that featured six players at six-foot-eight or taller out of an eight-man rotation. And when Pascal Siakam and Yuta Watanabe return from injuries over the next week, it will be eight of 10. Nurse only needs to worry about two things — how to space the floor, and how much help to send at low-post players.
9. The biggest adjustment in Trent Jr.’s game is that he’s a positive contributor even if his shot isn’t falling. Since he’s largely subsisting on jumpers, many of which are self-generated, Trent Jr. will see his efficiency swing wildly. That’s just a reality of how the game works. But so long as Trent Jr. maintains his aggressiveness on defense, he will always have a spot in Nurse’s rotation. Trent Jr. doesn’t always keep his man in front, nor is he impossible to shoot over, but he’s so dogged in how he attacks the ball that it makes you start to hesitate. Anthony let his concentration drop for just a split second as he lined up his move, and that’s all Trent Jr. needs to break up the play. Having fast hands is a talent.
10. Boucher is starting to calm down. It’s a great sign that Boucher took only five shots because it means he resisted the bad ones. Boucher picked his spots effectively, getting his spacing right from three, making aggressive but measured moves to attack the closeout, and was active on the offensive glass for putbacks. Defensively, he was measured and even made a rare play where he was thinking two passes ahead, which allowed him to pick it off before sparking the fast break. Boucher is not short on ability, but he needs to know when and where to use it. Friday, he was in great balance, which is why Nurse played him 18 minutes — and he was a plus-18 to lead the team.
